Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.

Glee: Going Gaga for ‘Theatricality’

First off, some BONUS GLEEKY NEWS: Not to rub it in or anything, but your friendly, neighborhood Glee blogger will be flying to New York this weekend to see Glee Live at Radio City Music Hall! (Yes, I am crazy enough to buy a plane ticket and full-price admission to this show half-way across the country.) I’ll post some quick reaction right after the show on Friday night and then check back Tuesday for a full write-up here in the blog and in your Houston Chronicle.

So, this episode was pretty great, right? As I’ve said a million times before, I’m a huge sucker for Kurt’s dad’s scenes and I really felt he knocked it out the park this week. I had been concerned leading up to this moment that Kurt’s predatory behavior was problematic. This show reaches a lot of young people and portraying a gay student preying on the hapless straight dudes is not exactly a great stereotype to reinforce. I was impressed with how visceral the confrontation between Kurt’s dad and Finn got and how the writers kept the language as raw as the emotions. Mike O’Malley really killed it in that scene. He’s come a long way from the Aggro Crag.

Let’s rehash all the best moments from tonight’s episode!

In a nutshell: Principal Figgins is concerned about the way Tina (the formerly-stuttering goth) dresses. It seems Twilight fever has swept McKinley High and awakened Figgins’ very real fear of vampires. He forbids her to continue to dress the way she does or she will risk suspension. Rachel’s been doing some spying on Vocal Adrenaline and learns they’re preparing a Lady Gaga number for Regionals. Spotting a teachable moment, Shue steps in and assigns the club a Gaga number to help them express themselves and get Tina to try out some new styles. The kids go all out in Gaga regalia, including the lobster headpiece, the lobster shoes and the bubble dress. While Kurt and the girls get super into it and wear their clothes all over school, the guys opt for fellow freaky rock and rollers — KISS. Upcoming numbers aren’t the only things Rachel learns from spying on Vocal Adrenaline, though. She also figures out that Shelby is her mother. She confronts the rival coach, and the two share an intimate moment. When Rachel tells her about how her dads used to bring her water every time she got upset, Shelby realizes that she’ll never have those moments with Rachel now that she’s grown. Even though Shelby learned she can no longer have children, the constant reminder of missing Rachel’s growing-up would make having a relationship with her too hard. They agree to part, for now, but not before singing a duet. Meanwhile Kurt’s dad is ready to have Finn’s mom move in, which means the boys will be roommates. Finn’s clearly not comfortable with this. After Kurt asks Finn for help from the bullies who are targeting Kurt for his Gaga attire, Finn flips out and starts critiquing his redecorated room, asking Kurt why he can’t just to blend in and starts throwing around a homosexual epithet. Kurt’s dad walks in and delivers a speech about how hurtful and dangerous that word is. After cutting Finn down to size, he tells Finn he’s not welcome in his home anymore. Even if it costs him Finn’s mom, Kurt’s dad values his family more. Then he tells Kurt he did a great job redecorating and lays his hand lovingly on Kurt’s shoulder. *tear* When the bullies go after Kurt again at school, Finn’s there, this time in his own Gaga-inspired look. He and the rest of New Directions come to Kurt’s defense. Puck also has a tender moment with Quinn and tells her he wants to be there for the baby’s birth. And he wants her to name the baby Beth. And Tina? She uses Figgins’ fear of vampires to her advantage. She pretends that she really is a vampire and her father is King Vampire (“And Asian vampires are the most vicious of all the vampires”). He tells her that Figgins has to let her dress however she pleases or her dad will eat his face off. Awesome.

That’s so Rachel: “You see the world with the same fierce theatricality as I do. Even the way we’re sitting right now is so dramatic, yet we’re so comfortable with it.”

Why I Crush On Puck: “What’s up with this Gaga dude?”

Kurt Keeps It Fabulous: “Let them think what they want. They’re Neanderthals; in three years they’ll be cleaning my septic tank.”

Reezen 2 Luv Brittany: “You look terrible; I look awesome.”

Naughtiest Line You May Have Missed: “I feel like an Asian Branch Davidian.” (Runner-up: “You know what, Fancy? You don’t need an appointment at Supercuts, they love walk-ins!”

Best Musical Number:

You just can’t beat “Poker Face.” Not only was the slowed-down arrangement beautiful, their voices are just incredible. (I know Gagaloo often starts her live performance of the song slow before getting it going, but I liked the “theatricality” of this rendition even more.)

The Gold Star: Kurt’s dad. Man, I love that guy.

Blingee of the Week:I loved everyone’s Gaga outfits, but I loved Justin Bieber’s the most …Glitter Graphics

What did you think of tonight’s episode? What were your favorite moments?

Glee airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on FOX, plays incessantly on my iTunes and occupies a large space in my heart.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.